heart of a woman

"Abortion is a matter of the heart. For until one understands the heart of a woman, nothing else about abortion makes any sense at all." - Dr. George Tiller

This quote was issued by a late-term abortionist before he was assassinated in 2009. The heart of a woman...it angers me to hear a man who murders babies and debilitates women even let those words pass through his lips. How dare he suggest he was influenced by the heart of women to take what is most precious straight from their womb. Does he not see the look in a mother's eye when her child sprains an ankle or suffers from the flu all through the night? Does he not see how her heart was drawn to her child in need and would gladly suffer the pain in their place? If her maternal response is so evident in such minimal situations as her child crying from a hurtful word on the playground, then how much more is a mother programmed to respond if her defenseless child is helplessly sucked from their safe haven. The emotional impact of abortion on women has been repeatedly published, and testimonies of depression, anxiety and gut-wrenching guilt will continue as long as abortions do.
You see it in the 3 year old girl who cuddles her doll tightly to her chest when a threat is perceived, or the twenty year old ladies who cannot help but flock to the side of a mother and child and hope to connect with the baby through a smile or coo or finally a mum by her daughter's side almost partaking in the pains of labour over again as her grandchild enters the world. If it is not a child it is a pet or a friend who needs nurturing, maybe even a husband...but a woman has the nature to care and to take responsibility for the experiences of that individual.
So if abortion is only about the heart of women, and that is the only way it makes sense, then proving that abortion is unnatural and not paralleled with a woman's heart should be enough to bring it to a halt. Pro-life truly is pro-choice as they care more about the outcome of women's health and there are many more options available through pro-life then there are through pro-choice. This is not about the sanctity of life, although that is an indisputable factor, but about the health of women, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Going against the natural order of a female's nature brings about disorder in all areas of her life and leaves a mess that truly only Christ can clean up. The devastation of knowing the child you were there to protect and nourish was, at your word, painfully murdered and never given a chance to defend themselves rips open a hole in the heart of a women... it does not, as Dr. Till says, make it the only reason to perform abortions. So, Dr. Tiller, if you had access to view any woman in your life in the role of a mother I'm not sure why or how you could have continued.

do this in remembrance of me.

Luke 22: 7-23
I had been missing the beauty of communion. The splendor of Jesus' sacrifice had lost it's powerful impact as communion had been focused on me. The idea of communion had been ingrained in me by previous leadership that it was about receiving what I needed at that time. Whether I lacked healing, strength, joy, a sense of worth, power or anything else we humans are in need of occasionally that it could be pulled down from heaven during communion by the power of the blood of Christ. Now, I am not saying that this is not possible or that the Lord did not intend for us to reach into Him during communion, a symbol of the new covenant, but is it meant to be the focus? I realized during communion this Sunday that I had lost the worship and remembrance of Jesus during this time. I found myself focusing on what I lacked at that moment and praying that as I participated in communion I would reach into Christ and receive what He had made available through the cross. Where was my honour for Him? Why was I not broken and on my knees in affectionate remembrance (amplified Bible) of my incredible Saviour? Do this in remembrance of me...why was I only remembering the sacrifice as to receive for myself? Worship was never intended to be used for our gain, but to honour and give deserved praise to our Father. In the end we always receive from our Lord because of His beautiful nature of love and generosity...not because we reach in and make that our focus while worshiping Him.
Where are we as a church when even communion does not direct our gaze to Christ for only the reason of remembering and honouring Him? Are we such an entitled people that we feel we deserve something from worshiping or partaking in the bread and cup? How dishonouring to our Saviour, who already gave us His life, to take our eyes off Him, place them on ourselves and use His sacrifice for our means.
Do this in remembrance of me. We hardly give Him any time at all as a North American church...can we at least take the time during communion to bring Him to mind. To focus all our attention on His life, how great of a sacrifice He made for us out of His love and mercy, how beautiful He is in His victorious position and how thankful we are for His grace and for His remembrance of us.